Michael S. Dimenstein, Board Member
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Michael is a lifelong resident of the Greater New Haven community. He attended New Haven Public Schools and graduated from Hillhouse High School in 1970. After receiving both undergraduate and graduate degrees from Syracuse University, Michael returned to his New Haven roots, and worked for the City of New Haven, where he learned about municipal government, and helped to create the Department of Personnel and Civil Service, the forerunner to the Human Resources Department. Thus, he began a career in HR that spanned over four decades. While most of his professional work was based in the healthcare industry, Michael worked in several other sectors and was for many years an active community volunteer and leader. His interests in community work have been focused on social justice, affordable housing, and access to healthcare services. Michael has served on the boards of the Chapel Haven Schleifer Center, Whitney Center, Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven, and Qualidigm, a national healthcare and research organization.
In 2020, Michael retired from the Yale New Haven Health System, where he served in executive leadership roles. During retirement he has devoted much of his volunteer efforts to his synagogue, Congregation Mishkan Israel in Hamden, the first Jewish congregation established in Connecticut in 1840. After serving as synagogue president, Michael assumed the presidency of the Jewish Historical Society of Greater New Haven, of which he had been a member and on the board of directors for many years.